Last updated: November 4, 2026
Vietnam's exemption list comes from several separate government resolutions and bilateral agreements, so most online lists are either incomplete or out of date. This page puts every visa-free passport in one place, with the stay length, the legal basis and the conditions that apply. If your passport isn't listed, you need a visa, and for most travellers that means the e-visa.
⚡ At a glance | Vietnam visa exemption, November 2026 |
|---|---|
45 days, any purpose | 12 countries under Resolution 44/NQ-CP, until March 14, 2028 |
45 days, tourism | 12 more European countries under Resolution 229/NQ-CP, until August 14, 2028 |
90 days | Chile, Panama (bilateral agreements) |
14–30 days | ASEAN neighbours, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia |
Phu Quoc only | ✅ All nationalities, 30 days, direct arrival from abroad |
Not exempt | ❌ USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Ireland, Portugal, Austria, Greece and most others |
Which countries are visa-exempt for Vietnam?
Around 39 nationalities are visa-free, but the stay length depends on which agreement covers your passport. The table below is the full list for ordinary passports. Diplomatic and official passports have many more agreements, which this page doesn't cover.
🌍 Passport | Visa-free stay | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia, Japan, South Korea | ✅ 45 days | Resolution 44/NQ-CP (unilateral), March 15, 2025 to March 14, 2028 |
Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland | ✅ 45 days, tourism | Resolution 229/NQ-CP (tourism stimulus), August 15, 2025 to August 14, 2028 |
Chile, Panama | ✅ 90 days | Bilateral agreements |
Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos | ✅ 30 days | ASEAN and bilateral agreements |
Belarus | ✅ 30 days per entry, 90 days per year | Bilateral agreement in force since January 30, 2025 |
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia | ✅ 30 days | Bilateral agreements |
Philippines | ✅ 21 days | Bilateral agreement |
Indonesia | ⚠️ 14 days (was 30) | ASEAN framework, applied from July 15, 2026 |
Brunei | ✅ 14 days | Bilateral agreement |
Myanmar | ⚠️ 14 days (some sources say 30) | Bilateral agreement |
The UK exemption applies to full British citizen passports. Holders of British National (Overseas) passports are generally not covered and should apply for an e-visa.
What is the difference between the two 45-day groups?
The first 12 countries can visit for any short-stay purpose; the second 12 are covered for tourism only. Both groups get the same 45 days and both lists run until 2028. The difference is the purpose of your trip.
Resolution 44 replaced the older Resolutions 32 and 128 in March 2025 and covers the long-standing exempt countries, such as the UK, Germany, France, Japan and South Korea. Resolution 229 was issued in August 2025 as part of a tourism stimulus programme. It added 12 more European countries, including Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland, which had been on a temporary list since early 2025.
If your passport is in the Resolution 229 group and your trip is for business, such as meetings, a trade fair or signing a contract, the exemption may not cover you. A business e-visa avoids an awkward conversation at the immigration desk. If you're not sure which purpose to declare, ask us before you book.
Does being in Schengen or the EU make me visa-exempt?
No. Vietnam grants exemptions country by country, not by EU or Schengen membership. About half of the EU is on the list and the other half still needs an e-visa. This is one of the most common reasons travellers get stopped at check-in.
🇪🇺 European passport | Visa-free? | What you need |
|---|---|---|
Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, UK | ✅ Yes, 45 days | Passport valid 6+ months |
Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia | ✅ Yes, 45 days (tourism) | Passport valid 6+ months; e-visa for business |
Ireland, Portugal, Austria, Greece | ❌ No | E-visa |
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein | ❌ No | E-visa |
Irish travellers are caught out most often, because they share travel rules with the UK in many other places. For Vietnam they don't. See our Vietnam visa guide for Irish citizens.
Which nationalities need a visa for Vietnam?
Every nationality not in the table above needs a visa, and the e-visa is open to all of them. That includes the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, South Africa, Brazil, Israel, Turkey and the UAE, as well as the EU countries listed as not exempt.
The e-visa allows stays of up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, and costs a USD 25 government fee for single entry or USD 50 for multiple entry. It works at every international airport and at many land and sea ports. Our step-by-step guide to the official form shows how to apply yourself.
Not sure whether your passport, or a family member's second passport, is on the list? Send us the nationality and your dates and we'll tell you honestly, even if the answer is that you don't need us.
What are the conditions for a visa-free entry?
Being on the list isn't enough on its own: your passport, your plans and your travel history also have to fit. Border officers can refuse entry to an exempt traveller who doesn't meet these conditions.
- Passport validity: at least 6 months from your arrival date, with a blank page for the entry stamp. See our passport validity guide.
- Stay within the limit: the day you arrive counts as day 1. A 45-day exemption that starts on March 1 ends on April 14.
- Right purpose: tourism, family visits or short business trips, depending on your group. Work, study and long stays need a sponsored visa; see Vietnam visa types and codes.
- Not banned from entry: people with an entry ban, for example after a serious overstay, can be refused even if their country is exempt.
- Onward travel: airlines often ask for a return or onward ticket within your visa-free period before letting you board.
Can I leave and re-enter Vietnam for a new visa-free period?
Yes, the old rule requiring a 30-day gap between two visa-free stays was removed in 2020. Law 51/2019/QH14, which took effect on July 1, 2020, dropped that condition. Each new entry starts a fresh exemption period.
In practice, frequent back-to-back "border runs" can draw questions from immigration officers, who may ask about your plans and finances. If you expect to spend months in Vietnam, an e-visa for up to 90 days with multiple entries is the cleaner choice. Our Vietnam visa extension guide explains the options for staying longer.
🧭 Your plan | Visa-free OK? | Better option |
|---|---|---|
Exempt passport, 2-week holiday | ✅ Yes | ➖ No visa needed |
Exempt passport, 60-day trip | ❌ No | E-visa up to 90 days |
Exempt passport, Vietnam → Cambodia → Vietnam | ✅ Yes, new period on re-entry | Multiple-entry e-visa if you want one document |
Resolution 229 passport, business meetings | ⚠️ Not clearly covered | Business e-visa |
Indonesian passport, 3 weeks | ❌ No (14-day limit) | E-visa |
Exempt passport, starting a job in Vietnam | ❌ No | Sponsored work visa (LD) |
What other visa exemptions does Vietnam offer?
Beyond the country list, there are four special exemptions that depend on where you go or who you are. Each has its own rules.
Phu Quoc Island: 30 days for every nationality
Anyone can stay visa-free on Phu Quoc for up to 30 days if they arrive there directly from abroad and stay only on the island. A trip that includes Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi or anywhere else on the mainland needs an e-visa or your own country's exemption. Read the details in our Phu Quoc visa-free 30 days guide.
Certificate of visa exemption for people of Vietnamese origin
Foreign passport holders of Vietnamese origin, and the foreign spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens or overseas Vietnamese, can apply for a visa exemption certificate. It is valid for up to 5 years (but ends 6 months before the passport expires) and allows stays of up to 180 days per entry. You apply through a Vietnamese embassy or the Immigration Department, not through the e-visa portal.
APEC Business Travel Card
Holders of an APEC Business Travel Card that lists Vietnam (code VNM) can enter for business for up to 60 days without a separate visa. The card is for business travel, not holidays.
Chinese tour groups to Khanh Hoa (pilot)
Resolution 325/NQ-CP, signed on October 12, 2026, allows Chinese ordinary passport holders travelling in organised package-tour groups to Khanh Hoa (Nha Trang and Cam Ranh) to enter visa-free. State media report a stay of up to 30 days and a run until the end of 2027. Independent Chinese travellers still need an e-visa.
Vietnam's visa exemption is decided by your passport, the purpose of your trip and where you land, not by where you live or which region you belong to. Check all three before you fly.
What do visa-exempt travellers still need on arrival?
A visa-free entry skips the visa, not the other border formalities. You'll still pass immigration, and officers can ask about your plans.
- At Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, a free online pre-arrival declaration has been required since April 15, 2026, including for visa-exempt passengers.
- Cash above USD 5,000 (or the equivalent), or above VND 15 million, must be declared at customs.
- Vapes and heated tobacco products are banned for everyone, including tourists; see our vape ban guide.
For the full arrival checklist, see Vietnam entry requirements.
How do I get an e-visa if my country isn't on the list?
Apply online for a Vietnam e-visa, either yourself on the official portal or through an agency like us. The government fee is the same either way; an agency adds checking, faster processing options and support.
What no agency can honestly promise
No agency decides who enters Vietnam. The Immigration Department approves visas, and border officers make the final decision at the airport, even for exempt travellers. Exemption lists are set by government resolution and can change at short notice, as Indonesia's did in July 2026. We can't extend a visa-free stay, turn a tourism-only exemption into a business one, or guarantee approval. What we can do is check your passport and plans against the current rules and tell you plainly whether you need a visa at all.
Frequently asked questions
How many countries are visa-exempt for Vietnam?
About 39 nationalities on ordinary passports in late 2026: 24 with 45 days, 2 with 90 days and the rest with 14–30 days. Phu Quoc adds a 30-day exemption for every nationality on the island only.
Is the US, Canada or Australia visa-exempt for Vietnam?
No. Citizens of the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand need a visa, usually an e-visa, for any trip to mainland Vietnam. Only a Phu Quoc-only trip is visa-free for them.
When do the 45-day exemptions end?
Resolution 44 runs until March 14, 2028 and Resolution 229 until August 14, 2028. Vietnam has renewed its exemptions before, but nothing is guaranteed, so check close to your travel date.
Can I extend my visa-free stay in Vietnam?
Generally not by just asking. If you want to stay longer, get an e-visa of up to 90 days before you travel, or leave and re-enter.
Do children need a visa if their parents are exempt?
The exemption follows each traveller's own passport. A child on a passport from an exempt country is exempt; a child on a different nationality's passport may need an e-visa.
I have two passports. Which one should I use?
Enter and leave Vietnam on the same passport. If one of them is on the exemption list and your trip fits the limit, using that passport usually saves you the e-visa.
Related guides: Do I need a Vietnam visa? · Phu Quoc visa-free 30 days · Vietnam visa cost · Vietnam visa for UK citizens · Long Thanh airport arrival